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**Unregistered** · 07-13-2014, 07:40 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

In the majority of positions on the winning teams in the World Cup I saw bigger and stronger players than years past. Columbia showed that there comes a point where a lack of size matters! The talking heads on the Tele are saying this is the future of soccer as well.

So what should this mean for the US as they identify and develop players going forward?

Bigger and stronger rarely equal faster or more technically skilled.
Look at 340 lb. NFL lineman...they're only good for a 5 sec burst of energy.

**Unregistered** · 07-13-2014, 08:29 PM

The bigger faster stronger kids in US are really hard to pry away from football and basketball. High school football games draw thousands, basketball not as much but still very popular.

Growing up in my neck of the woods, at least on the boys side, the studs were all going football & basketball, with a few wrestling. Soccer got the smaller, but fast and smart kids.

I don't know what the answer to your question is, but I know it is a tough task to get those kids.

Maybe as soccer grows in interest in the US. It will take a pretty big mental shift, because the masses are hooked on the eye candy of gladiator football and high scoring basketball. Soccer by contrast takes a lot more patience to watch. The US culture doesn't like draws either.

**Unregistered** · 07-13-2014, 09:02 PM

Current players

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Bigger and stronger rarely equal faster or more technically skilled.
Look at 340 lb. NFL lineman...they're only good for a 5 sec burst of energy.

Current high level high school age and college players are getting bigger. They do not sacrifice speed or technical ability as in the past. Part of this has to do with more public acceptance of soccer. Private high schools often now have the biggest, fastest and strongest players playing soccer rather than football and basketball. The worm has turned.

**Unregistered** · 07-13-2014, 09:39 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

In the majority of positions on the winning teams in the World Cup I saw bigger and stronger players than years past. Columbia showed that there comes a point where a lack of size matters! The talking heads on the Tele are saying this is the future of soccer as well.

So what should this mean for the US as they identify and develop players going forward?

Bigger faster is always better than smaller slower.

It is not like bigger faster players can't also be skilled players.

**Unregistered** · 07-13-2014, 10:20 PM

Typical American parent thread.

Messi is 5'7

Robbin is 5'11

Neymar is 5'9

Xavi 5'7

Inesta 5'7

Rooney 5'9

Suarez 5'11

If you even know who these players are you would realize one thing. Height makes no difference unless you are a center back and even then US thought they had the next big thing when onyewu made his first wc appearance last and he was a bust.

Skill>intelligence>speed>size.

But because the biggest and fastest make u11 girls team win games, you people still think that is how things are done. Why not take a page from countries who do it for more than state cup wins....

**Unregistered** · 07-13-2014, 10:23 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Current high level high school age and college players are getting bigger. They do not sacrifice speed or technical ability as in the past. Part of this has to do with more public acceptance of soccer. Private high schools often now have the biggest, fastest and strongest players playing soccer rather than football and basketball. The worm has turned.

Best player in oregon hs was 5'10....

They may have the fastest but not sure where you came up with biggest and strongest.

**Unregistered** · 07-13-2014, 11:16 PM

One position out of 10 field players

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Typical American parent thread.

Messi is 5'7

Robbin is 5'11

Neymar is 5'9

Xavi 5'7

Inesta 5'7

Rooney 5'9

Suarez 5'11

If you even know who these players are you would realize one thing. Height makes no difference unless you are a center back and even then US thought they had the next big thing when onyewu made his first wc appearance last and he was a bust.

Skill>intelligence>speed>size.

But because the biggest and fastest make u11 girls team win games, you people still think that is how things are done. Why not take a page from countries who do it for more than state cup wins....

Yes every great team has one or two short player (under 5'10") up front but I saw very large players on the back lines and in the mid field. With the movement toward more set piece scoring the value of the larger player is going to increase.

Look as the size and strength of the Sounders Defense is you doubt the trend.

**Unregistered** · 07-13-2014, 11:26 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Yes every great team has one or two short player (under 5'10") up front but I saw very large players on the back lines and in the mid field. With the movement toward more set piece scoring the value of the larger player is going to increase.

Look as the size and strength of the Sounders Defense is you doubt the trend.

Yes the sounders have a good and dynamic defense for a "mls" team. Please start watching EPL...la liga and other international leagues...that have existed longer than 4 years...smarter and highly skilled will always prevail.

**Unregistered** · 07-13-2014, 11:29 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Yes the sounders have a good and dynamic defense for a "mls" team. Please start watching EPL...la liga and other international leagues...that have existed longer than 4 years...smarter and highly skilled will always prevail.

And the World cup commentators who watch more games than you were saying that the trend for all of those leagues is bigger and stronger!

But hey whadda they know...right!

**Unregistered** · 07-13-2014, 11:33 PM

But we're the bigger effective. Or even game changing...excluding keepers?

**Unregistered** · 07-13-2014, 11:37 PM

Yes

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

But we're the bigger effective. Or even game changing...excluding keepers?

According to the experts who were watching all the Cup games they said this year compared to years past the larger players demonstrated their athleticism while controlling the ball in the mid field which lead to many more shots on goals than from the teams who had small or average sized players.

**Unregistered** · 07-13-2014, 11:54 PM

If you have 22 players of each position, that are equally skilled and intelligent, however, 11 are shorter and slower. The other 11 are taller and faster. All else being equal, you have to take the taller / faster players. There will always be outliers though.

Where it gets tough is when you don't have 11 tall/fast while also smart/skilled.

I have a dd so I always think of the Japanese WNT versus Abby Wambach and the USWNT. Japan is much shorter on average, but horribly skilled and typically play smart. The U.S. on the other hand gets service up front and Abby tries to use her head as a battering ram. The key is simply figuring out what you can get your hands on, and using them to the best of their abilities.

But I would go with my first mind experiment. all things equal, take faster and bigger.

**Unregistered** · 07-14-2014, 12:07 AM

All Abby was is a backboard...that skilled players played pool off of...yeah they won...but a terrible homage to the beautiful game...aka ugly futbol...

**Unregistered** · 07-14-2014, 12:10 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

If you have 22 players of each position, that are equally skilled and intelligent, however, 11 are shorter and slower. The other 11 are taller and faster. All else being equal, you have to take the taller / faster players. There will always be outliers though.

Where it gets tough is when you don't have 11 tall/fast while also smart/skilled.

I have a dd so I always think of the Japanese WNT versus Abby Wambach and the USWNT. Japan is much shorter on average, but horribly skilled and typically play smart. The U.S. on the other hand gets service up front and Abby tries to use her head as a battering ram. The key is simply figuring out what you can get your hands on, and using them to the best of their abilities.

But I would go with my first mind experiment. all things equal, take faster and bigger.

You must have been a football. Player...very short minded... You need both big and small...